The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-04-19
A THRILLING STORY.
The Mitchell RaId.r,-A Tale Of the War.
Washington Dispatch to st. Louis Globe
Democrat


A chapter OF the rebellion, one ofthe
most thrilling and pathetic stories OF
adventure ever written, is revived in !
q report made to the house by tn
committee on pensions. The bill Oh !
which the report is founded is to ex-
tend the provisions OF certain act
granting an increase OF pension to the
only survivors of the "Mitchell raid
ers." In April, 1862, Gen. o. M. Mitch
ell had advanced his column as far
south as Shelbyville, Tenn. In the .
west the battle OF Shiloh had just beer
determined in favor OF the Union arm
At the east Mcclellan was threat
ing an advance upon Richmond.
posed to these two armies, the Sol
had concentrated their full strent
The Importance of Selling and he
ing Chattanooga as a strate
point on the great railroad ID
between the east and west W
deemed vital. The mitchell raiders
a body OF men, twenty-one in numbe
under comm and OF j. Andrew
were selected by General Mitchell
undertake the desperate enterprise
penetrating 200 miles south into t.
heart OF the enemy's country, to en-
deavor to destroy the railroad
bridges between Chattanooga and At
lanta. Ii successful this would cut
off the advance OF troops from
the south while Mitchell moved
his army down to capture Chattanoo-
ga. The soldiers OF this forlorn hope,
dressed in citizens clothes, set out by
twos and threes to meet at Marietta,
Ga. Their plan was to take passage
on some north. bound train, overpow-
er the guard, seize the engine, and
burn bridges and tear up tracks be.
hind them as they dashed along.
The first part of the programme
was successful While the train was
stopped for breakfast, leaving the
engine unguarded, at u signal the
raiders, who had bought tickets and
been travelling as ordinary passengers,
sprang into the cab, pulled the valve
open and drew out with an engine,
tender and three cars. A
few moments placed the ex-
ulting party beyond any seeming
danger OF successful pursuit, because
there was no telegraph and no other
engine at hand. Unfortunately, how
ever, Mitchell's advance had alarmed
the southerners, and the rolling stock
about Chattanooga had been ordered
south, out Of danger. The forlorn
hope on the captured train were met
by these trains. Andrews, in charge OF
the party, represented himself as I
confederate officer who had impressed
the train for military purposes, al
he succeeded in allaying all suspicion
but was compelled to wait ms
minutes, losing precious time, ny
extra trains were passing. The c.
ductor Of the captured train v
% man OF great action and en-.
ergy, and, without waiting for his
breakfast, he started out in pur- lit
on foot. By some evil fate he reachef.
hand car, and, after travelling while,
succeeded ingetting alocomotive from
q private track. When the raiders
discovered that they were being pur-
sued desperate chase ensued, pre-
venting the slightest chance for any
destructive work. After n run OF 100
miles the captured locomotive had to
be abandoned while the Union sol
diers scattered through the woods.
The pursuit was relentless, and the
whole party was captured alter endur-
ing terrible sufferings. They were de-
nounced as spies, chained together by
twos by the neck and thrust into
n dungeon in Chattanooga. T
twenty-one men were confin
for three weeks in an apartme
only thirteen feet square, with
the slightest accommodating
with but scanty provision. Tin
rors OF this confinement were hey
description. When released for
nj from the dark and noisome pris
cell, they were so blinded by the
OF day that for hours they could
see. Andrews, the leader, was
as a spy. The rest was moved
lanta, where several more were he
as spies. One man was given
lashes on his bare back, and the u
ance were put back into prison. A
the end OF six months several he
died, and after eleven months Of tc
ture and terror the few survive
were released by exchange. The
traordinary enterprise in which IT,
men engaged, the dangers they,
red and their gallantry and d
- the Union cause entitled
recognition. All but four OF
receiving pensions under the
law. The others, who are to
vided for by the pending
William Knight, Jacob
William Reddick and John V
The New South.